Abstract
Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis is a host-adapted serovar that causes serious infections in domestic pigs and wild boars. Here, we investigated an outbreak of salmonellosis in domestic pigs in Slovenia, 2018–2019. To assess the outbreak, 18 isolates from domestic pigs, wild boars, wild boar meat and a human patient underwent whole-genome sequencing (WGS). All isolates were of sequence type (ST) 145 and harbored no antimicrobial resistance genes or AMR-associated mutations. A single transmission cluster (≤ 6 alleles) of spatially (< 100 km) and temporally linked isolates was observed, comprising isolates of pig (n = 9), wild boar (n = 2) and human (n = 1) origin, and suggesting possible interspecies transmission. In all outbreak-related animal cases, septicemic salmonellosis was observed, accompanied in some cases by enteric symptoms. All pig isolates were linked to a single intensive breeding farm that distributed growers to small family farms. The same transport vehicles were used to distribute growers to family farms and also to transport livestock between neighboring countries. Both isolates that originated from the imported wild boar meat were genetically distant (≥ 122 alleles) from the outbreak cluster. The present results indicate the importance of screening domestic pigs and proper disinfection of transport vehicles to control the spread of S. Choleraesuis.
Highlights
The present results indicate the importance of screening domestic pigs and proper disinfection of transport vehicles to control the spread of S
Choleraesuis is a rarely reported serovar in Europe, including Slovenia (EFSA and ECDC (European Food Safety Authority and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control), 2017, 2021), it is frequent in Asia, where it is associated with severe disease in humans, usually septicemic disease with little or no intestinal involvement (Chang et al, 2005; Chen et al, 1999; Chiu et al, 2004; Sriyapai et al, 2021)
All isolates from domestic pigs and wild boars were obtained from symptomatic animals, except for isolate S132, which was obtained from feces of an apparently healthy pig
Summary
Choleraesuis have been reported in Europe and worldwide (Pedersen et al, 2015; Gil Molino et al, 2019; Longo et al, 2019a; Meneguzzi et al, 2021; Savic et al, 2021). It can cause invasive disease in humans (Chang et al., 2005; Jain et al, 2014; Sugimoto et al, 2017; Sriyapai et al, 2021). Choleraesuis clones are increasingly reported in Europe and worldwide (EFSA and ECDC (European Food Safety Authority and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control), 2017; Gil Molino et al, 2019; Leekitcharoenphon et al, 2019; Pedersen et al, 2015; Sriyapai et al., 2021). Differentiation between serovars Paratyphi C, Choleraesuis and Typhisuis was performed by biochemical tests (H2S production and dulcitol fermentation)
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